For the Love of a Family
by Satu-D-2
Summary: The third in a saga of four, sequel to The Good in Evil and Lost Without You, outlining another tragic chapter in the story of the Mishima/Kazama family. Jun-x-Kazuya, Jin-x-Xiao, loads of other pairings. Rated for...lots of things...
1. Prologue

Official Summary: The third in a saga written over what is amounting to three years now, sequel to _The Good in Evil_ and _Lost Without You_. It's not compulsory to have read those two previously to this one, but it would help you understand what the hell is going on.

AN. Okay, so just know I wrote this before Tekken 5 came out, hence the absence of a lot of characters in that game. However, I did rewrite a bit of it to include someone of the Kazama bloodline (you know who I mean). In the last story Jin was born, and as such he shall have a starring role in this. There are several different POVs and they rotate between each chapter. It will say who's POV it is in the first sentence of each chaper. Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy.

* * *

**Prologue**

Jun Kazama sat at the wooden table in the moonlight, fingering a golden locket around her neck. A lone tear tracked its way down her cheek and splashed onto her fingers. She opened the golden oblong and looked lovingly at the two pictures inside. One was of a kind-faced woman holding a little baby with black hair. The other contained everything she longed for.

"Kazuya," she whispered, closing her eyes.

Behind her eyelids, Kazuya Mishima was standing. His black hair was spiked up behind his head, his chest and scar exposed. He was wearing training pants, white ones with red patterns on each leg. Oh, how she missed him. It had been 14 years since she had last seen him, and she missed his touch as much as his face.

The door banged open and a young man entered. He was wearing a matching uniform; a dark grey shirt with the sleeves rolled up and green trousers. Jun smiled to see his black hair spiked behind his head, even if it was accompanied with a few loose strands as a fringe. He looked just like his father.

"Hi, Mum," he said happily, putting a few grocery bags down on the table.

"Hello, Jin," she replied. "Did you get everything?"

"Yeah. I saw Xiao at the supermarket. We talked; that's why I'm so late." He smiled dreamily up at the ceiling.

Jun laughed. She knew her son had had a crush on Ling Xiaoyu since they had met. She was a cute little Chinese girl, quite powerful in her own right, who was three years younger than Jin, but only two grades below him.

"But she started talking about this guy who worked at the counter. He wasn't even that good looking." Jin sighed and sat down at the table, pouting slightly. Jun bit back another laugh. She had heard of that trick; use a guy to make the guy you like jealous. Maybe Xiao was more cunning than either Kazama gave her credit for.

"Don't worry," she said. "I'm sure she won't like him for long."

He pouted even more, laying the top of his body on the table and crossing his arms, resting his chin on them. Jun put a hand on his elbow and smiled.

Then a dark presence pushed on her. It was similar to Kazuya's presence, but was far more concentrated than his, more evil. She gasped and sat up a little straighter. Jin was immediately alert, shooting to his feet.

"What is it, Mum?" he asked. He had learned to trust his mother's intuitions and feelings because, more often than not, they were right.

"Something's coming," she whispered. "Something...bad." She turned to Jin, who was standing in fighting stance. "You have to go."

"But, Mum," Jin protested. "You can't stay here alone. We'll go together."

"Listen to me, Jin. This...thing, whatever it is, will follow you, wherever you go. I'll stay here and try to hold it off. I want you to go to Mishima Mansion."

"Mishima Mansion," Jin repeated, his arms falling temporarily to his sides. "Why would I go there?"

She hesitated, before saying. "Heihachi Mishima is your grandfather. His son, Kazuya, was your father. If you go to Heihachi, you'll be safe until you're skilled enough to fight back."

"But, Mum," Jin said again. "I'm strong; I'm ready to fight anyone."

"You can't beat this evil, Jin. Not now," Jun said. "I want you to go to your grandfather. Say that you are Jin Kazama. Say that you're his grandson, and you want to learn Mishima Style Karate. He's too proud to turn you away."

"I want to stay with you," Jin said stubbornly.

"Jin, you're only fifteen." She put a hand on his cheek. "You've got your whole life ahead of you. Now promise me."

"I promise I'll go to Heihachi if anything happens to you," he said sulkily. "But nothing _is_ going to happen, is it?"

Jun shut her eyes. The presence was getting closer. She opened them again and pulled Jin into a hug. He was already muscular and very tall for his age.

"Jin. Remember that, no matter what happens, I'll always love you." She kissed his cheek.

"I love you too, Mum." He kissed her cheek too.

Jun reached to the back of her neck and carefully undid the locket. She had never let him touch it before, and when she started to fasten it around his neck, his eyes widened. He had only ever looked at it before; she refused to remove it from around her neck in the fifteen years Kazuya had been gone.

"Take this," she whispered, the clasp hooking into place. She took the locket up in her hand and held it up. "If you ever feel that I'm not there, just look at this locket and remember me." She let it drop back onto Jin's chest.

There was a loud roar and Jun stared at the ceiling.

"You have to survive, Jin. For me, and for your father." She kissed his cheek again and they ran outside.

There was another roar and a tall, green man landed on the grass. His black eyes had tiny red irises that surveyed the two with cold distaste. A cold wind rushed through the forest, making the intruder's loincloth flutter, and Jun's dress swirl around her legs. She emerged from the cottage completely, assuming fighting stance.

She saw Jin doing the same from the corner of her eye.

"No, Jin. Run away!" she shouted, feeling despair sink into her gut. She knew her son too well to know that would work.

Jin ignored her walked in front of her, assuming his fighting stance. She watched in horror as they began fighting. Jin was hit hard across the face, flying to the side and landing on the ground. Jun started towards him, but then decided that he would be safe there. Her mind was overcome with hate for this evil, green man.

She slowly got into her fighting stance, knowing she probably wouldn't make it out of this battle. But she would fight anyway. She would fight for her son, who lay unconscious on the cold ground a short distance away. And she would fight for her lover, who had promised to return and now would never see her again.

~*~

Heat. Burning, searing heat. And the blaze of fire all around her.

Jun blearily opened her eyes, squinting against the harsh, flickering light that surrounded her. Her clothes seemed to be gone, torn almost to oblivion. A tall, broad figure stood over her, the large muscles clearly outlined by the firelight. His chest and legs were bare, a simple loincloth covering him. A large, Aztec-like headdress was worn like a crown on the proud head. Jun groaned, her hand coming up to shield her eyes. The figure lifted one huge foot, and she watched with vague detachment as it began the slow descent that would crush the life from her body.

There was an angry cry and the figure was kicked away. Jun looked in confusion at the new figure that stood in her line of sight. Her eyes took in the hard muscles, the long training pants, the red scar on his chest, the glint of bright red from his left eye, the two scars beneath his eyes, and the black hair styled behind his head. She smiled slightly at the look of tenderness that broke through the anger as he looked down at her.

"Kazuya," she whispered, her voice thin and harsh. "You came...back..."

Her eyes slid closed, and she blacked out.

* * *

AN. And there we have it; the end of the prologue. What an incredibly unsatisfying way to begin things. I hope this has stoked your interest. Please review XD


	2. Bitter Memories and Dreams

AN. Now, it's just heartwarming to get that many reviews for my first chapter, so I'm gonna go ahead and post the second one. However, I fear that many people reading (judging from my reviews) think that I'm going to be just continuing straight on from where the prologue left off. Well... Uh... Just to be obstinante, I shall now fastforward six years. Terrible shame that... Enjoy XD

* * *

**Chapter One – Bitter Memories And Dreams**

Jin Kazama bolted upright in bed, sweat breaking out on his forehead and dripping onto the sheets.

"Damned nightmares," he muttered. He wiped a hand over his forehead and stared around the room.

It was a small, cluttered flat. The wallpaper was peeling away to show the rough woodwork walls. Most of the furniture was falling apart; even the bed he was sleeping on creaked uncomfortably whenever he moved.

He fell back on the bed, ignoring the resulting creak, and thought back on his dream.

_He held Heihachi, his grandfather, by his shirt, one hand poised to kill him. When he was finished with Heihachi, he would move on to the man on the ground behind him. The man with spiked-up black hair, a cut beneath each eye, his left eye glowing a dim red, and a large scar across his chest. When he was through with Heihachi, he would move on to his father._

_He brought his hand back, ready to cut off Heihachi's windpipe. He could feel the dull ache as large black wings erupted from his shoulder blades, flapping menacingly in the moonlight. Heihachi struggled in his grip, and he relished in the feeling._

_There was a flash of white and he turned, shocked. There stood there most beautiful woman in his life. His mother._

_Jun Kazama stood there for a moment, her dark eyes begging him not to kill his family. Jin felt the Devil gene rise up in him, and realised that if he killed his grandfather and father, then Devil would take over._

This was the point where the dream took two separate paths: what had happened, and what could have happened.

In the first, he threw his grandfather to the ground and left them both on the shrine floor.

In the other...

_He looked away from Jun's image quickly, and slammed his hand into Heihachi's exposed throat. The old man choked and spluttered, and a stream of thin blood started to run over Jin's fingers._

"_Jin, no!" Jun's voice echoed in his head. "Don't let him win!"_

_Jin banished her voice from his head, and dropped the dead body of Heihachi onto the wooden floor. He turned to Kazuya, advancing slowly. He could feel tattoos burning themselves into his forehead. There was a strange creaking as two horns erupted from the sides of his head, spreading out and pointing forward. He blinked, feeling his eye colour change to icy silver._

_Kazuya stirred slightly, sitting up and rubbing his head. Jin stood over him, his arms by his sides and his eyes narrowed._

"_Jin." Kazuya stood up, stumbling slightly. His eyes panned over Jin's new form, then darted towards Heihachi. His eyes widened as he saw Heihachi's blood seeping onto the ground, staining the wood around him._

_Jin was now completely overcome by Devil; any trace of the considerate man he had been disappearing. He jumped at Kazuya, punching him in the stomach. Kazuya fell to his knees and gasped for breath, Jin's attack obviously taking him by surprise._

"_Don't do it, Jin! Don't kill him!" Jun's voice continued to scream inside Jin's head._

_Jin ignored her, punching Kazuya again and again. Kazuya collapsed against his son's punches, and Jin thought he saw a glimmer of tears in his father's eyes. He finished with a strong kick into Kazuya's face. His head snapped back, accompanied by a loud crack that could only be his spine breaking. He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing, before coughing up a bit of blood._

_Jin spat on his father's body as it fell to the ground. He turned and spread his wings, launching through the roof and into the night. And as he flew away he uttered a maniacal laugh that echoed around the forest._

Jin shook his head and glanced over to one wall. Resting there was the one thing in this room that looked cared for; a beautiful, polished mirror. He stared at himself.

He looked like his father. He had the same face (except for his mother's eyes), and the same body structure. He had the same hair, except for the few strands that fell down in a fringe. He frowned, and that just heightened the resemblance.

"I hate you," he hissed at the image in the mirror, at the image of his father. "I really hate you."

He reached up and grabbed the locket around his neck. He undid the catch and brought it in front of his eyes. He fumbled with it for a few minutes, but the little compartment refused to open, once again. He kissed it and put it back around his neck.

The locket was the one token he had to remember his mother, and he always kept it close to him.

He walked to the window and looked out. The street below was packed with people, all pointing towards a new bulletin board which was just out of Jin's sight. He sighed and walked into the cramped bathroom. Ten minutes later he emerged, his hair wet from the shower, wearing a set of matching pants and jacket. He pulled the hood of the jacket up to shield his face and exited the flat.

He had the feeling he wouldn't return to this little room, so he carried a small backpack over one shoulder; it contained all his clothes. A gust of wind struck him in the face as soon as he shut the door and blew through his hair, nearly blowing his hood off. He caught it by putting one hand over it, and started walking briskly down the street. When he got to the crowd of people, he tried to get through, but they were all transfixed with the board and wouldn't move.

He glanced up at it and stopped. It was a simple message with no picture.

"'Enter the King of Iron Fist Tournament 6'," he whispered to himself, reading off the board. "'Could you be the next King of Iron Fist?' Are you kidding?"

"Move it, kid," came a gruff voice from behind him. Jin froze, recognising that voice as Paul Phoenix, another competitor. He moved to the side and Paul promptly took his place. "King of Iron Fist Tournament 6, huh?" he asked. "I'm going to enter and finally take my rightful place as Champion." He nodded and stalked through the crowd. Jin glared after him.

"It's been less than a month," he whispered to himself, staring up at the board again. "Why would they have another one now?"

His eyes narrowed as he spotted the small logo on the corner of the board. It was an emblazoned 'G' in a green circle.

"G Corporation," he muttered. "What have they got to do with this?"

He could feel that something was seriously wrong here, but he followed Paul's footsteps, heading towards Mishima Mansion for the second time in three weeks.

* * *

AN. And now the assurance: Don't worry, what happened next in the prologue does actually get explained in this story. Promise XD Please review!


	3. Entering the Tournament

AN. And now onto chapter two. And who is this familiar dark energy? Mm, I do love Kazzy XD

* * *

**Chapter Two – Entering The Tournament**

Kazuya Mishima walked casually up to the front gate of Mishima Mansion. He was wearing a black ensemble; black shirt, black trousers, black shoes. He was even wearing black glasses to hide his left eye.

"Name?" asked the woman at the gate. She was holding a clipboard and a pen with a miniscule version of Heihachi's head fixed on the end.

"Kazuya Mishima," Kazuya said.

"Age?"

"49."

The woman looked him up and down before making a note on the clipboard.

"Height and weight?"

He sighed and told her his measurements.

"Occupation?"

"I don't have one."

"Have you been in any previous tournaments, Mister Mishima?"

"I've been in more than enough," he muttered.

She looked him up and down again, before writing something down.

"Reason for entry?"

"To find out what G-Corporation has done to something very special to me."

"Alright then, Mister Mishima. I'll just give you this tag," she handed him a little slip of paper, "and I hope you enjoy the tournament."

He scoffed and walked inside, tucking the slip of paper into his pocket. There was a large collection of people in the courtyard, some leaning against the high stone walls, some standing in the middle, and some sitting on the edge of the fountain. He wandered around the crowd, noting that most of them were reporters or security guards.

There was Xiaoyu, the silly little Chinese girl who was infatuated with his son, talking to Christie, Julia and Asuka. They were the only people in the tournament under 21, and had thus created their own little group.

"Of course you'll see him here, Xiao," Christie was saying.

"I don't know what you see in him, but I'll pound him for you if you want," Asuka offered, punching one hand with her fist.

"Thanks a lot, guys, but I'll be convinced when I actually see Jin here."

So they were talking about his son. Typical. He kept walking, passing where Hwoarang and Steve standing together. Hwoarang was making eyes at Julia, while Steve was scouting the crowd.

"Where is she?" he asked in his strong British accent.

"She'll be here," Hwoarang replied in Korean. "I think Christie's looking at you."

"Really?" Steve stopped searching the crowd and looked in Christie's direction. "I really need to talk to Nina though."

"You can talk to her anytime. It's not every day that Christie looks at you." Hwoarang elbowed Steve in the ribs and laughed.

Kazuya rolled his eyes and continued through the crowd. There were Marduk and King, their old fight forgotten in a shaky friendship.

"Remember how that guy screamed?" Marduk asked, guffawing.

"It was one of the best tag matches ever!" King replied.

Kazuya couldn't listen to that for long and quickly pressed on. Anna and Nina Williams were a short distance away, yelling at each other. Lee, his adopted brother, was tugging nervously at Anna's arm.

"Let's go, darling," he whispered.

"You bitch!" Anna yelled at Nina, ignoring Lee.

"You're the bitch," Nina yelled back.

Kazuya watched Lee's attempts to get Anna away with great interest. He had never liked Lee, and seeing him struggle was deeply amusing to him. Before he could be noticed by either the fighting pair of women or Lee, Kazuya stole away through the crowd.

In this crowded, bustling courtyard, Kazuya was caught by surprise to find another person who was just standing there quietly. The person was wearing a windproof purple and blue tracksuit with yellow flames adorning the front. The hood was pulled up, concealing the person's face, but Kazuya recognised him anyway. The young man was staring fixatedly at the large balcony. A large poster reading "King of Iron Fist Tournament 6" was hanging from the balcony, G-Corporation's logo on hit.

Kazuya walked quietly until he was standing right next to the young man.

There they stood, side by side, staring up at the banner. Kazuya almost held his breath, waiting for the young man beside him to realise he was there. When he finally did, he recoiled, gasping. Only his eyes and forehead were visible, and the former narrowed.

"You," he hissed, and Kazuya was taken back to nearly 22 years ago, when he had stood on the balcony above them one dark and stormy night.

"Hello, Jin," Kazuya said casually, still looking up at the balcony.

"What are you doing here?" Jin asked menacingly.

"G-Corporation betrayed me," Kazuya said. "Now I'm going to get back what they stole."

"They stole something from you?" Jin asked, doubt creeping into his voice.

"Yes. Something very dear to me."

"It was probably just your blood," Jin said, indifference taking over the doubt.

Kazuya put his right hand over his left inner arm, just under the elbow.

"Yes, they took my blood. But they stole something even more precious." His eyes were fixed on the banner now, unfocused. He blinked and a picture of a beautiful woman floating naked in a glass tube full of liquid flashed behind his eyelids.

Jin was regarding him curiously, his brow furrowed. For a moment compassion flickered in his eyes, the eyes that were so similar to Jun's. But after a second it was gone again. Jin had never been good at hiding his emotions, and now hatred burned in those dark pools. Kazuya sighed.

"Are you going to trust me? Or are we still going to be enemies at the end of this tournament?"

"I'll never trust you," Jin spat. "Never."

Kazuya let out a silent sigh, regret filling his heart but not his eyes. "Then we will meet again."

He turned and walked through the crowd, careful not to draw attention to himself.

"I'd like to go to my room now," he told the girl roughly. She handed him a key after checking a number off on the clipboard. Kazuya turned away, looking down at his key.

**24**, it said in bold letters.

He walked to that room and unlocked the door. His bags were already there, sitting by the end of the bed, and he sat down on the bed.

"**Attention all competitors.**" A woman's voice came on over the PA. She sounded strangely familiar, but Kazuya couldn't place her voice. "**Please go to your rooms now. Dinner will be served shortly. The first round begins tomorrow. The lists are up in the lounge room.**"

It wasn't a recording. Someone was actually reading those words. But who?

"**That is all.**"

Kazuya lay on the bed and frowned up at the ceiling, trying to put a face to the voice.

* * *

AN. (dramatic music interlude) Oh who could it be? Poor Jin, he's ever so suspicious (just like his dad, in retrospect). Please review XD


	4. Meeting the Competitors

AN. And now for that mysterious woman behind the microphone. This does have some unnecessary character explanations/descriptions, but the people who read this the first time (including the one I'm posting this for) don't play Tekken and therefore do not know the characters involved. Oo, mystery!!

* * *

**Chapter Three – Meeting The Competitors**

The woman put down the microphone and leaned back in her chair. She was so lucky. Thanks to G-Corporation she had the largest bedroom in the mansion, complete with an ensuite and a huge, walk-in wardrobe. She stood up and walked onto the balcony, watching the competitors walking slowly towards their rooms. She laughed and twirled around.

She was wearing a floor-length, black and white dress. It was white over both dress straps – which came to her mid-upper-arm – and down in a diagonal line to her hip. Under that it was black. It clung to her body, but had a long slit up the side, revealing up to her thigh. Her long, raven hair was loose and swung in a perfect fan behind her.

This woman's name was Sae Kurosawa. She was a top researcher for G-Corporation, and had been for the past six years after working there for almost 20. Unfortunately, about a month ago she had suffered serious injuries when Heihachi Mishima and the Tekken force raided the G-Corporation labs. She had tried to fight them, but had ended up being severely beaten.

She had been in a coma for two days. When she had finally woken up, she was disorientated and frightened. Her first instinct had been to flee to somewhere else, a forest somewhere, where she could be safe. But after talking to the lead scientist, Matsumi Osaka, she was convinced that she was home. She was even shown to her room.

According to Doctor Osaka, she was suffering from acute amnesia. It should clear up in a couple of weeks. To stimulate her memory and maybe bring it back faster, they had shown her files about herself. But nothing they showed her was even vaguely familiar. Not even a picture of her parents.

She twirled again and fell backwards onto the large, comfy bed. The sheets were silken, smooth to the touch, and her fingers ran over them easily. She stood up and walked to the mirror. She smiled, running her fingers through her long, soft hair.

"Miss Kurosawa?" came a voice from the doorway. She turned around and bowed to the person entering.

"Yes?"

"Dr. Osaka sent me," the young boy whispered. "He told me to give you this." He held out a package.

"Thank you." They bowed to each other and the boy left. Sae sat down on the bed and shook the box experimentally. It rattled slightly and she opened it. Inside was a simple white mask and a folded up piece of paper.

_Dear Sae,_

_You will have noticed that there is a white mask in this box. I want you to wear it. There are holes for the eyes and mouth, so you will be able to see and eat. Many people have speculated that you are just an imposter pretending to be Sae Kurosawa. We know that's ridiculous, but we want you to wear this mask just in case. Remember that we have many enemies._

_This mask is a new invention of G-Corporation. I'm sure you'll find it...interesting._

_Remember that G-Corporation is counting on you._

_Take care,_

_Matsumi Osaka_

Sae frowned.

"Do I have to?" she asked the empty room. On looking down she noticed another little bit of folded up paper. She picked it up and unfolded it.

_Yes, you do._

_Matsumi_

She laughed and put them down. She picked up the mask and fitted it experimentally over her face. It fit perfectly, moulding over her nose and fitting her cheeks. She walked to the mirror and looked at herself. The mask seemed to put a veil over her eyes, making her eye colour indistinguishable. To her delight she noticed that the mouth moved when she moved her lips, and the lids seemed to blink.

"Cool," she whispered. Time had flown, and it was now time for dinner.

She picked up the microphone again and cleared her throat. When she spoke, her voice magnified.

"**To all competitors. Dinner is now being served in the main dining room. I'll see you there.**"

Sae could almost hear the interested murmurs after her last statement. She laughed and donned her mask. She ran a brush quickly through her hair and left the room. Her hair brushed her back as she made her way down the stairs and into the dining room.

She could hear chatter in the room in front of her, and she paused to neaten herself up. Then she swung the doors open dramatically.

Every head in the room turned to her the minute she did so. At the head of the table were the young ones, 21 at the most, and they were regarding her with open curiosity. One of them, a blonde boy with red pants and blue shirt, was standing up, holding a chair out for a young girl with long brown hair in a ponytail, long purple pants, and a rather revealing golden bikini top. Another boy, with violent red hair held back by a pair of motorcycle glasses, was lounging back on his chair, his feet on the edge of the table. Sae noted the large boots with some interest. There were three other girls, a little Chinese girl with her hair in pigtails and a pink kimono, an American girl with brown braids and a feather in her hair, and Japanese girl with brown streaks in her black hair.

She was receiving different looks from further along the table, where several older men sat. There was a man with black hair that seemed plastered to his skull somehow in a white suit that buttoned up around his neck. One of the men was wearing a jaguar mask of her head, while another had obviously not taken this dinner seriously and was only wearing a pair of purple and green pants. There was a Chinese man, wearing a traditional Chinese shirt. Another man had white hair, eyes that seemed permanently narrowed, and a western-style hat. The last man had long, blonde hair styled above his head. He winked at Sae, and she bit back her laughter.

Next to them, two women were sitting across from each other. One was blonde and wearing a skin-tight purple costume. The other was a brunette, wearing a red kimono with a few minor adjustments. They were glaring daggers at each other, and Sae could tell that they were kicking each other's ankles from under the table. A silver-haired man was sitting next to the brunette, shooting nervous looks between the two women.

At the far end of the table were two men. They looked so similar to each other, that Sae wondered if they were related. The one of the right was wearing a black shirt and sunglasses. His black hair was in a spike behind his head. The other's hair was spiked in a similar fashion, but there were a few stray strands hanging over his forehead. The hood of his purple and blue jacket was back.

Sae studied these two men with great interest. A strange feeling stirred in her heart, a warm feeling, but it was smothered quickly. She shook her head and approached the empty chair at the head of the table.

"Welcome," she said loudly. The two men at the far end turned their heads towards her in one movement. She smiled, feeling the mask shift with her face. "It is a great honour to have you all here, in the first King of Iron Fist Tournament run by G-Corporation." She spread out her hands. To her slight dismay, the two men at the far end seemed angered by this news. "I'm sure you're all hungry, so dinner will be served now. Afterwards, I'd like to speak to you all in the lounge room. Enjoy your meal."

She sat down and, as if this signalled something, a group of waiters appeared out of thin air. They approached each of the competitors with a menu and quickly took their order. Sae ordered the marinated chicken breast. Chatter broke out while people waited for their food.

"Who are you?" asked the Japanese girl with brown streaks in her hair.

"I am Sae Kurosawa," Sae replied. "I'm a researcher for G-Corporation. And you are?" she indicated around the group of young adults.

"I'm Steve Fox," said the blonde boy. "I'm the Middle-Weight World Champion in boxing." He pumped his fists in front of him. The girl beside him laughed, and he grinned and winked at her. Sae looked questioningly at the girl.

"I'm Christie Monterio," she said. "My grandfather's a master of Capoeira. I'm his top student."

The Chinese girl spoke up next. "I'm Ling Xiaoyu, but everyone calls me Xiao. I'm a student."

"Julia Chang," said the girl with braids, offering her hand. Sae shook it. "I'm a researcher too. My main research is on forest rejuvenation."

"Hwoarang," said the last boy dismissively. "Served in the Korean army." He nodded towards the man in the western-style hat. "That's my master, Baek Doo San. He taught me everything I know about Tae Kwon Do."

Sae nodded, intrigued. This Hwoarang was obviously a rebel, one of the worst kinds, yet Sae could sense good in him. He just needed an influence to bring it out. Baek had obviously done the best he could, but Hwoarang needed more. He needed a girl. And by the looks he was shooting at Julia, Sae had a good idea who it would be. She turned to the last girl.

"Asuka Kazama," she said, and Sae felt an unknown thought stir in her brain. "I live with my father in his dojo outside of Osaka." Sae fought down a blanch as something seemed to stab at her. "I entered the last tournament to get revenge on this dickhead called Feng, who attacked my father and really hurt him. I beat him in round four. Now I'm just entering for fun."

"And who are all of these?" Sae asked, motioned to the other end of the table.

"I'll tell you," Xiao said. She was an eager young girl, and Sae turned her attention to her. "That's Marshall Law," she pointed to the man with plastered down hair. "King," to the man with the jaguar head. "Craig Marduk," the man with the green and purple shorts. "Lei Wulong," the man in the traditional Chinese shirt. "You know Baek," the man in the western-style hat. "Paul Phoenix," to the blonde man. "Lee Choalan," the silver-haired man. "And Nina and Anna Williams," the two angry looking women down near the end.

"And the two at the end of the table?" Sae asked, trying not to sound too interested.

"That's Jin Kazama," Asuka said, pointing to the younger. "He's no relation, by the way. And that's Kazuya Mishima."

Sae's heart flipped, and she told herself to calm down. She made small talk with the young adults, getting to know them more personally. Asuka seemed the least likely to open up, not revealing any more about herself. Finally she spoke.

"What are you doing here?" she blurted out when dinner was finally served. Of course, as she said those words a silence fell over the table, and they fell exactly in the gap of silence. Every single head turned towards Sae. She picked up her glass of water and took a sip.

"I may be a top researcher for G-Corporation," she said finally. "But I'm also the master of a particular strain of martial arts. I am one of the most powerful fighters of it in the country. In short, I'm the fighter for the final stage. Anyone who wants the grand prize has to beat me."

There was silence. Eventually the blonde man in the middle of the table laughed.

"You've got to be kidding," he said. Sae shook her head innocently, taking another sip of water.

"No. I'm the boss, in a manner of speaking." She smiled good-naturedly around the table. She received cautious smiles from most of the table, but the two men at the end were staring stonily at her, their gaze burning into her. She put a hand up and pushed a stray strand of hair, feeling the ridge of her mask as she did so.

They finished eating in silence. Sae stood up first, putting down her knife and fork with a clatter.

"If you'd all like to move into the lounge room," she said loudly. "I'll answer any further questions you might have."

There was a general chatter as they moved into the lounge room. A few people rushed to see the lists for the fights, but most gathered around Sae.

* * *

AN. Ah, so much unnecessary explanation. I cringe to read it now. Ah well, it's part of the story and Sae really doesn't know who any of these people are. Whatever could happen next? Please review XD


	5. Honest Questions

AN. And onto chapter four. Sorry it took so long: I've been very busy. I'm playing in the orchestra for the King and I (a Cairns Choral Society production) and opening night is tonight. It should be great, I'm very excited XD Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Four – Honest Questions**

Jin Kazama was one of the people surrounding the mysterious Sae Kurosawa. Her face was shielded by that impenetrable white mask, and her body language was cool, calm and reserved. It was eerie to watch the lips and eyelids of the mask move as she did.

"Are there any other questions?" she asked in that hauntingly familiar voice.

"What is the prize?" Paul asked, a typical question from him.

"Ten million dollars and a highly paid job offer at G-Corporation," Sae replied, seeming to recite from memory. "It's a fabulous prize."

"How many rounds will be fought?"

"As many as there need to be," she said. "It may vary."

"Will it be run like the other tournament?" Christie asked.

"No. It will have the same fighting rules, but all competitors are allowed to watch the rounds until the semi-finals. The final match may be witnessed only by the automated cameras that will send information directly to _my_ quarters to be viewed and edited later. Anything else?"

"Will you go out with me?" Jin turned, raising his eyebrows. Marduk was looking at Sae in a very interesting manner.

"No." She laughed, a strangely musical sound. "I'm sorry, but I don't think it's wise to date competitors."

"Who are you?"

"I've already explained that," Sae said, turning to the questioner. Jin bit back a gasp when he saw Kazuya's impartial features. He didn't need to see Kazuya's eyes to know that they were narrowed at Sae.

"Yes, I heard. But who are you really?"

"I am really Sae Kurosawa," Sae replied in a slightly impatient tone. "And I don't want people asking me silly questions like that."

Kazuya tilted his head very slightly to the right, then turned away, heading out of the crowd. Sae looked after him, her mask revealing no emotion. Her right sleeve had ridden up slightly, and Jin's eyes widened when he saw the bottom of a tattoo. He put his hand over his left arm and stared intently at the thin black lines on her arm. Sae obviously noticed his gaze, because she discreetly pulled down her sleeve.

_Who is this woman?_ Jin asked himself, realising after a moment that he sounded exactly like Kazuya.

He pushed his way out of the crowd and went to the notice board. He was fighting Marshall Law first, and he felt a small sense of triumph. At least he'd be able to take his anger out on someone, even it if wasn't Kazuya Mishima, the cause of all of his problems.

"Do we really have to fight you?" Lei asked, putting one of his hands over Sae's. She laughed and carefully moved her hand to her lap, away from his.

"Not technically; only one of you gets to fight me."

"Bet it'll be me," Paul whispered loudly to Law, who shook his head sadly.

"It could be any of you," Sae said, smiling around at them. "If you don't mind, I'm a bit tired." She pulled off an obviously fake yawn. "I'll see you all tomorrow, when the fighting starts."

"Goodnight, Sae," the older men chorused. She waved gracefully to them before walking out of the room. Jin noticed that Kazuya was studying her closely, and he felt a tinge of worry.

"It looks like I'm fighting you," Law said from behind Jin. "I am honoured that I will be beating you in the first round." He bowed.

"Yeah. You work on that," Jin said, patting the back of Law's head. "I'll see you there."

He saw Steve nervously tap Nina on the shoulder.

"Can I talk to you outside for a moment?" he asked, sweat breaking out on his forehead. Christie saw this and turned away, taking Xiao by the arm and stalking over to the list of competitors.

"Sure. Whatever." Nina followed Steve outside. After a moment Jin left, heading towards his own room. Steve and Nina were outside.

"I have to tell you something," Steve said.

"What?" Nina asked impatiently.

"You're my mother," Steve said quickly, before pulling Nina into a hug.

Her jaw dropped, and she visibly stiffened. Jin felt momentarily sorry for Steve. He had searched his whole life for his mother, and now is didn't seem as though she wanted him. But she surprised Jin by cautiously putting her arms around Steve.

"I know," was the soft whisper from her.

Jin smiled and walked to his room.

_Kazuya's up to something,_ was the thought on his mind, and he knew from instinct that he was right. _But what?_

He could just see Kazuya's dark head disappearing into the darkness. Jin wandered towards his assigned room, turning his thoughts to Sae.

She was obviously beautiful; only a woman who knew something like that carried herself in such a confident manner. But Jin couldn't understand why she wore that mask. Was it to hide her face, so she couldn't be recognised? But by who? And why?

Jin reached his room – **25** – just as 24's door slammed shut. He shook his head and entered his room.

About ten minutes later – just as Jin exited the shower, towelling his hair – he heard voices go past. Random snippets of conversation drifted into his room.

"Don't worry. You'll get her next time," Paul said encouragingly, presumably to Marduk.

"I'm fighting Kazuya first. He's going to crush me," Julia said despairingly.

"That poor student of mine doesn't know what he's in for," Baek said impartially.

"I can't believe I have to fight Asuka. I want to fight Nina!" Anna complained.

Jin shook his head in disbelief and pulled on a pair of training pants. He tied up the sash, and climbed into his bed. He pulled the covers up to his chin, before deciding it was too hot and pushing it back down to his waist. His breathing soon slowed, his eyelids drifting closed.

Halfway through the night, without his knowledge, Jin sat up and uttered a low maniacal laugh, black symbols blazing into life on his chest.

* * *

AN. Grah... Oh well... I hope you enjoyed, please review XD


	6. The First Round

AN. Okay, once again guests are staying at our house from today onwards. I don't know when they leave or where they are going to sleep. I'm guessing in the room with internet access. Therefore I might not be able to update for a while. As it is, I hope you enjoy this chapter and that it will keep you going until I get a chance to update again XD This chapter is long, so it should... If it's overdescriptive I apologise...

* * *

**Chapter Five – The First Round**

Sae stood at the edge of the first arena, a bare patch of rock high in the mountains, where the first match would be fought. She had refused to elevate herself above the other competitors, and was thus mingling amongst them. Not surprisingly, they let her stand at the front.

The elder of the two fighters, Marshall Law, approached the ring first, jumping slightly in his excitement. His white outfit had a blue Chinese dragon on the back, slip-on slippers on his feet.

The younger was one of the two men she had been watching the night before: Jin Kazama. Just hearing his name gave Sae shivers she couldn't understand. He was wearing the same tracksuit as the night before, the gold edges of the flames glinting in the sun.

Law preformed a forward flip for the crowd, showing his speed and agility. Jin just muttered something under his breath while looking over his shoulder. Sae followed his gaze and found the other man she had been watching, his eyes shielded, once again, by dark glasses.

Sae shivered under the warm sun, and turned back to the match.

"Ready?" she asked the competitors. They both nodded slightly. "Begin."

Law started first, doing a backflip-kick that sent Jin flying backwards. The Japanese man got up quickly, apparently unharmed by the attack. Law moved backwards, his hands waving.

Jin approached fearlessly, his hands held in front of him in classic karate style. Law was obviously unnerved by this, because he hesitated for a fraction of a second from his fighting stance.

That was a big mistake.

Before he could resume it, Jin ran towards him, knocking him to the ground. He delivered a few lightning-fast punches to Law's face and neck, getting up in about ten seconds. Sae could have sworn she had _seen_ a flicker of lightning in those punches, but dismissed her thoughts as idiocy.

Law stood up slowly, a thin trickle of blood running from his left nostril. He wiped it away and resumed his stance. He smiled, but Sae could see he was physically weaker. She knew he was at least 20 years older that Jin, and that had to be a disadvantage.

Jin waited until Law got closer, so close that the elder man actually looked like he was about to strike, before making his move. He performed a high kick, uttering a small cry, which snapped Law's head back, before bringing his foot down. The kick forced Law to his knees, making him vulnerable to Jin's next attack.

He punched Law in the face with his left hand, making him collapse onto the hard rock. Jin then stomped hard on Law's stomach. He seemed to sit up, his knees and upper-body rising to encase Jin's leg. Law uttered a quiet moan and fell back, his eyes rolling up to whites.

There was a moment of silence, and then Sae started to clap. Xiao started soon after, accompanying it with a wolf whistle, and soon everyone was clapping. Sae looked over to the dark man, only to find that he had disappeared. She glanced around for a moment, then stepped forward into the ring.

"Congratulations, Jin Kazama," she said. "You have won the first round."

He looked at her soundlessly before nodding quickly. His hazel eyes studied her for a moment, tracing the lines of her mask. After that, he turned and walked out of the ring, his hands tucking into his pockets. Sae stared after him for a moment, before turning to the chatting spectators, as two ambulance workers came forward and checked Law.

"The next match," she said loudly, "will be held at the poolside between Christie Monteiro and Craig Marduk in one hour. See you there."

~*~

Everyone was crowded around the plaza next to the pool. A few of the swimsuit-clad women who appeared to live around the pool were there too, their tanned bodies shining with tanning oil in the morning sun.

Christie was seated on a pool-side recliner wearing long purple pants and a matching bikini top. Her feet were bare. She smiled and waved to Steve, who gave her an awkward double thumbs-up.

Marduk's chocolaty skin was shining in the sun too, but because of sweat rather than tanning oil. His chest was very hairy, and he had another line of hair down to the top of his purple and fluoro-green shorts.

They stood and walked towards each other. Marduk blew a kiss to Christie, and she grimaced.

"Sorry I have ta hurt ya, darlin'," he said with a strong Australian accent. "But I want the money more than I want you."

Christie didn't answer.

"Ready?" Sae asked the competitors. Marduk winked at her and assumed his Vale Tudor fighting stance. Christie jerked her head in a quick nod, her mouth becoming a thin white line. "Be-"

Before she could finish the word that would officially start the match, Marduk charged. Christie wasn't ready for the surprise attack and went down hard, Marduk's heavy form on top of her. She let out a loud cry of pain.

"Get off her, you slimy son-of-a-," Steve said angrily, moving towards the two fighters. Hwoarang put a hand on his upper-arm, hissing a few quiet words to him.

Sae rushed forward and pushed Marduk off Christie, pushing him back to his original starting position.

"I thought that match had started," was his only defence. Sae shot him a venomous look that shut him up pretty quickly.

Christie sat up and immediately grabbed her right leg, her face screwing up.

"Are you alright?" Sae asked, genuinely concerned.

"I think he broke my leg," Christie said shakily, tears welling in her eyes. Sae could see Steve arguing with Hwoarang and Nina, who had appeared from somewhere.

"Let me check," Sae said quietly. "This will hurt." She put her hands gently on each side of Christie's right knee and moved it carefully from left to right. Christie let out a gasp of pain, but Sae felt relief. "It's not broken."

"How can you tell?" Christie asked, holding her leg with both hands.

"If it was you would have screamed," Sae said, releasing her knee. "It's probably just a sprain. We can reschedule the fight for tomorrow."

"No. I want to fight today." Christie narrowed her eyes at the sulking form of Marduk. "He is such a dick."

"Are you sure?" Sae asked. "I'm not sure it's the smartest thing to do."

"Yeah, I'm sure." Christie held out her hand and – against her own better judgement – Sae pulled her to her feet. Christie staggered a little, then started her fighting stance, wincing every time she put weight on her right leg. Sae motioned to Marduk, who walked back to the ring.

"You're lucky you aren't disqualified," Sae hissed to him as she left. She stood next to the sullen silent Steve and watched the match with hopelessness. "Begin."

Christie pulled off a stunning spin kick that caused Marduk to fly backwards and crash into one of the pool chairs. As she did so her face twisted slightly with pain. After that, she kicked only with her left leg, supporting herself on her hands. Marduk managed to get in one good punch that snapped Christie's head back, but Marduk was still defeated two kicks after that.

Sae stepped forward through the applause and said the same statement as before, except with Christie's name in place of Jin's. She stood there in complete shock, her left eye steadily blackening. When Sae finished, Christie laughed and limped quickly to the edge of the crowd, where she threw her arms around Steve's neck. He looked very surprised, but put both arms around her. Sae smiled at them, trying not to laugh at Steve's awkwardness. A medic emerged from the crowd and waved smelling salts under Marduk's nose to get him up.

"The next match, between Hwoarang and Baek Doo San, will take place at the mall in half an hour."

The crowd slowly dissipated, leaving Sae alone on the tiled floor. She sighed and headed for the bus that would take them to the mall.

~*~

A soft artificial light shone down on the central square, while quiet easy-listening music played in the background. There was a small fountain in the middle of the floor, adding its soft tinkle to the ambiance.

Hwoarang had donned a traditional white Tae Kwon Do uniform, probably out of respect for his master. His name and a beautiful symbol were emblazoned on the back. His red hair was pushed back with a white sweatband.

Baek was wearing basically the same uniform, but it was more yellow and it had a different name on the back. His western-style hat was gone, and his white hair caught the light.

"Ready?" Sae asked and both men nodded. "Begin."

Before they began fighting, they bowed to each other and commenced their fighting stance. Baek started out with a strong kick to Hwoarang's shoulder. Hwoarang responded with a punch that pushed Baek back a few paces. This pattern went on, backwards and forwards. Hwoarang had a bloody nose and Baek had a black eye very soon into the match. Hwoarang brought up his left leg and kicked Baek in the face. The master of Tae Kwon Do fell backwards and twitched slightly, before lying still.

Sae congratulated Hwoarang, who just stared at his master in disbelief. He smiled an uncertain smile and Sae returned it with the warmest smile she could. He turned and walked slowly into the crowd. There was a quiet cry and Hwoarang was ambushed by a blur with braids. Julia hugged him tight, burying her face into his chest. He looked very embarrassed at this sudden display, but hugged back. Then both of them helped Baek up, supporting him back into the crowd.

"Next we have Steve Fox and Lei Wulong at the airport in an hour and a half."

This time Sae didn't wait for the crowd to thin before heading to the bus.

~*~

A Boeing 747 was droning overhead. The sun beat down and bounced back off the black tarmac of the runway. It wasn't the main runway of course, but a quiet patch of ground outside the baggage office. Sae could see a few oversized, steel baskets with large suitcases on them.

Lei was moving steadily from pose to pose, muttering quietly. His long blue shirt had golden Chinese symbols spread over it. His feet were clad in simple Chinese slippers. His long, black hair was tied in a low ponytail.

Steve was wearing a pair of long, red pants with silvery chains connected to the belt. His blue shirt was open, revealing his chest. He had long pieces of cloth wrapped around his hands. He ducked a little and pumped his fists in front of him experimentally.

"Let's go," Le said, and ducked into his shuffling fighting stance.

"Ready?" Sae asked. "Begin."

Lei managed to get one good kick in, hitting Steve in the lower stomach, before Steve knocked him to the ground. His punches were quick and deadly accurate. As a final move he bent down and to the side, before unleashing a tremendous punch to Lei's gut. Lei let out a barking cough before collapsing to the ground.

Steve beckoned into the crowd when he was completely sure that Lei wasn't getting up again, and Christie limped out. He hugged her tight when she reached him and she kissed the tip of his nose, making them both blush.

Sae congratulated Steve with a smile on her face. They were such a cute couple.

The medic with the smelling salts came forward again, and Lei was soon standing in the crowd.

"The next match between Ling Xiaoyu and King will occur in the underground in half an hour."

~*~

The underground was hot and damp, the interior filled with bulky men. It also smelt strongly of sweat and dirt. The men in there were all streaked with dirt and mud, their shorts coated with a thick crust of mud.

Xiao stood out like a sore thumb in this environment. Her dark brown hair was pulled into two pigtails by bright pink hair-ties. Her dress was the same shade of pink except for a strip of purple flowers on the right side near the hem. Her pink bracelets and a yellow section on the back of each of her shoes were glowing, indicating lights. They left streaks of colour in the air when she moved.

King was wearing the classical wrestler's underwear, with only large boots to compliment them. His jaguar mask was firmly in place, while his long, black hair hung down his back like a greasy curtain. He seemed to fit in with the dark surroundings.

Xiao waved up to Sae, who waved back. "Ready," she asked. Xiao nodded and King let out a low growl. "Begin."

King started out strong, grabbing Xiao and draping her over his shoulder, her kicking and punching all the while, and dropping sideways onto the ground. Xiao cried out, before standing up slowly. She took two deep breaths, King watching her closely, and then performed a combo-kick move. She leapt up and kicked King several times in the face, before using his shoulders to propel herself backwards several metres.

King stumbled, then recovered, uttering a low growl as he straightened up again. He grabbed Xiao and swung her around before tossing her to one wall. Xiao twisted in mid-air and hit the wall hands first. She pushed off it and landed on all fours, panting slightly. King advanced slowly, his beady eyes fixed on her. He got within three steps of her, before she leapt up and kicked him hard in the face.

He staggered backwards before tripping over an exposed rock and falling onto the ground. Xiao stood up and ran over to him, stomping on his fingers. She then kicked him in the face, her eyes clenched shut. King gripped her ankle and flipped her over. She thumped hard on her back, the air rushing out of her lungs. Her big brown eyes widened, then closed.

King growled in triumph, standing over Xiao with his arms upraised. Sae saw Xiao's eyes slide open and her fingers twitch. She flipped her feet over her head and kicked upwards. King yowled as her right foot connected with his left inner-thigh and her left foot hit slightly to the right of that. He toppled forward and Xiao rolled out of the way, ending in a crouch.

Sae waited for a moment, just to make sure that King was unconscious, before stepping forward. Xiao stood up slowly, her eyes wide and immediately assumed fighting stance on getting up. Sae put a hand on her shoulder and she relaxed.

"Did I just -?" Xiao started to ask.

"Congratulations, Ling Xiaoyu. You have won the first round," Sae said quietly. Xiao laughed and pulled Sae into a hug.

"Thank you," Xiao whispered, and broke away. She looked over her shoulder and smiled shyly at Jin, who had been standing in the front row since King had thrown her to the ground. He smiled back at her. Marduk came out of the crowd and helped King up.

"Next, we have Asuka Kazama fighting Anna Williams at the church garden in one hour." Sae tried to ignore the shiver that saying Asuka's last name gave her.

~*~

_This is a beautiful place_, Sae thought, looking around the shaded garden.

The sun was low in the sky, shining a strong orange light down on the ring and making long shadows on the ground. There were two flower beds in the middle of the garden, bright red and blue flowers surrounding a simple shrub. The stone church in the background cast a long shadow towards them.

Asuka was wearing what seemed to be a traditional fighting uniform. Her long, loose, black pants contrasted strongly with her white shirt. She was wearing Japanese sandals and a white sweat-band to hold back her brown hair.

Anna was wearing a very tight red kimono. It had been altered, apparently by a professional, to show a generous view of her breasts. A long slit up one side of her dress was parted because of her stance.

The two women looked at each other. Anna's gaze was haughty and judging. Asuka's was carefree and amused.

"Ready?" Sae asked, and the two nodded. "Begin."

Anna delivered the first punch, but her heart wasn't really into it. She only seemed interested in the fight for the first ten seconds. Asuka delivered punches and kicked and all sorts of combos. And every one of them seemed to paralyse Sae's mind. For a grand finale, Asuka spun around, quite fast, before delivering a powerful kick to Anna's middle.

_Those moves,_ Sae thought. _How did she –?_

She stepped forward to congratulate Asuka, who smiled and walked into the crowd when she was finished. Lee came out and supported Anna back into the crowd.

"Now we have Nina Williams and Lee Chaolan at the beach in one and a half hours."

This time, Sae was second on the bus.

~*~

The sun was just touching the horizon, making the sky a beautiful blend of oranges and reds, with purple and dark blue just touching the edges. The water reflected these colours, shifting continuously to rearrange them. The sand was pure white, and so fine it was like walking on silk. Two palm trees swayed in a warm, salty breeze.

There were barely any people around at this time of the day, but a few late swimmers joined the ring of spectators, including an elderly couple with a small but dignified dog, and life-guard.

Lee Chaolan was dressed for the occasion. His choice of outfit was a full tuxedo, complete with shiny dress-shoes and a red carnation in his lapel. His silver hair was neatly combed.

Nina was wearing a very tight, full-body purple outfit that showed a lot of skin. Her long blonde hair was back, out of her face, and her clear blue eyes coldly surveyed the man in front of her.

"Ready?" Sae asked.

"Of course," Lee said courteously. Nina just nodded.

"Begin," Sae said.

Nina started with a combo kick, one to Lee's face and one to his knees. He stumbled backwards, before rushing forward. He pushed her to the ground, sat on her stomach, and started punching her in the face. She blocked most of them and bucked hard enough to throw him off. He landed on his knees, before hoisting himself to his feet in a fluid movement. Nina did the same, stretching her arms up as she did so. They circled each other like animals.

Sae took a moment to glance around the crowd. Everyone was cheering for their favourite fighters. Steve and Hwoarang had started up a chant: "Let's go, Nina, let's go." Followed by two claps.

Nina smiled a cold cruel smile and punched Lee with her hand flat. Her locked fingers dug into his cheek before his head was forced to move. He fell onto his knees, his hand going to his cheek. Nina kicked him briskly in the groin and he fell onto his back, groaning. She put one foot on his chest, her sharpened stiletto heel piercing the flower on his chest.

"Looks like it's over," she whispered, and rolled him over with one simple push of her high-heel.

Sae was a little frighting of this cold woman when she stepped forward, but when Nina smiled slightly she relaxed. "Congratulations, Nina Williams," she said. "You've won the first round."

"Thank you," Nina said and strolled into the crowd. Steve moved to hug her, but he stopped just short and shook her hand instead. She smiled at him and Sae thought she saw a little warmth in her eyes. Christie didn't look happy, but Steve looked over the moon. Anna came out of the crowd and pulled Lee into it by the collar of his shirt.

"Last for today, and this round," Sae began in a clear voice, "we have a match in the streets between Julia Chang and Kazuya Mishima."

As she said Kazuya's name her voice broke slightly. No one seemed to have noticed though, and they all started moving towards the bus.

~*~

The sun had gone down and the street was illuminated by the orange streetlights. Neon signs flickered and buzzed overhead, and a large, graffiti-marked sign adorned a building. It was an ad for an Anti-Aging cream called 'Wrinkle Away'. Underneath the plain print someone had added the statement: 'I woz ere. Ere I woz. Woz I ere? Yes I woz.' Underneath that an illegible name had been sprayed.

A large crowd of punks joined in the crowd. Even Hwoarang, the bad-boy of the group, looked like a normal teen next to these guys. Their hair was styled in rough spikes and three of them were wearing collars.

Julia was regarding the waste and ruin around them with an angry eye. Her clean jeans and denim jacket contrasted with their surroundings.

"Hey, baby," one of the punks called. "Are ya free after the match?"

Hwoarang let out a silent sigh and kicked the punk in the face. He smiled at Julia, and she smiled back, waving.

Kazuya was wearing another black outfit. His black glasses reflected one of the neon signs.

"Ready?" Sae asked. Julia nodded and Kazuya grunted. Sae hesitated, not knowing if that was a yes or no, then said, "Begin."

Julia fought hard. She kicked and punched and performed tricky combo moves. But Kazuya ducked all of them, barely breaking a sweat. After a minute of this, Julia was panting slightly as she kicked out at Kazuya again. It connected with his shoulder and he reeled backwards slightly. Julia took this as a sign and renewed her efforts.

Kazuya eventually kicked her, a simple sideways kick that sent her flying backwards. He then walked calmly to where she was lying on the ground and stomped on her stomach. She coughed and pushed his foot off her. He stood over her, waiting for her to get up.

She got into a crouch, then swung her legs around in a low kick. A triumphant cry came from Sae's right, and from the corner of her eye she could see Hwoarang smiling broadly. Kazuya's legs shot out from under him and he toppled to the ground. Julia stood up, smiling. Kazuya lay on the ground for a moment, then performed a similar manoeuvre, one of his muscled legs catching Julia just below the knee. She let out a cry as she fell to the ground, and Sae saw the smile leave Hwoarang's face. Kazuya hit her in the stomach, and she crumpled backwards.

Sae waited for a moment. Julia didn't move.

"Congratulation, Kazuya Mishima," she said softly. "You've won the first round."

Kazuya didn't move. Hwoarang did though. He fought his way clear of Steve's restraining hand and went to Julia's side, taking her hand. She was breathing deeply, a dark purple bruise forming on one cheek bone. He scooped her up and the crowd started to move towards the bus.

Sae started to follow, before seeing Kazuya standing very still to the right. She turned to him and a rough bolt of attraction passed through her gut. She could clearly see his muscles beneath the fabric of his shirt, and his black hair shone in the bright neon lights. They stared at each other and he sneered. The motion twisted his thin lips and made the scars under his cheeks rise. His dark glasses seemed so impenetrable, and Sae wondered for a moment what his eyes looked like. A thought ran through her mind. A thought that couldn't be true, and yet she knew it was.

_His eyes were as dark as midnight the day he left._

Left what? His family? His lover?

As if he could hear these thoughts, he shook his head and turned to the bus. She rubbed her arms as a chill fell over her.

A memory came to her then of dark eyes burning into hers, while two large hands held her close. A whispered voice, _I'll come back. I promise on our child. I...love you._

* * *

AN. Ah dear, random memories. That's gotta be confusing... Poor Sae. Anyway, please review! I would really appreciate it XD


	7. Time for a Break

AN. And now the next chapter. It's quite a bit shorter than the last one, but the one after this will be long again. It's gonna be like...yeah...a break between each fight scene. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Six – Time For A Break**

Jin was very tired, and he didn't know why. It was the afternoon of the next day. The sun was warm, the breeze slight and cool. The one solitary cloud of the day was drifting over the horizon. Jin sat in the courtyard, on the rim of the fountain. It was a day off, a break between rounds, and he had been bored all day. The only thing he could think of was fighting Kazuya, but he had a feeling he'd be doing that in a later match anyway.

"I don't care what you say," Christie said angrily, storming into the courtyard from the lounge-room. "It looked like flirting to me."

Steve followed her, his young face creased with worry. "It wasn't. I'm really, really sorry, Christie."

Jin watched with interest, wondering what this was all about.

"I know you think I'm flirting with her, but that would be just...wrong," Steve said, distress now in his voice.

"I don't think you are; I know you are!" Christie yelled. She turned away from Steve and Jin saw with some shock that she was crying.

"Why would I flirt with Nina?" Steve asked, and suddenly Jin understood. He should have seen this coming.

"I don't know," Christie said. "Maybe because she's beautiful. And she's older." She looked down, putting her hands over her face.

"She's not as beautiful as you," Steve said softly. Christie looked up from her hands, and turned slightly towards Steve. In the act of doing so she saw Jin, and her tears dried up as her mouth dropped open in shock.

"Jin," she said. "I...um...Steve and I..."

Steve took this shock as a chance. He leapt forward, grabbed her arms, and kissed her. It was a short kiss, with closed lips, but when Steve broke away, Christie had the look of a woman who had been kissed in the most intimate fashion for the first time. Jin looked away, embarrassed.

"Oh, Steve," he heard Christie whisper. Then another silence. When he looked back, Christie was hugging Steve tight, her head planted firmly on his shoulder. She was smiling a brilliant smile that could only be matched by the smile on Steve's face.

"Congratulations," he said quietly, standing up and patting Steve on the shoulder. He liked Steve, he was a good guy. "You guys deserve each other."

He left the courtyard, thinking the new couple would enjoy a bit of privacy.

_Now what?_ he asked himself. There was nothing to do.

He went into the lounge room, where several competitors were chatting. Julia, Asuka, Hwoarang and Xiao were among them. Despite the fact that Julia had lost to Kazuya yesterday, she was allowed to remain in the mansion. Sae had made the announcement at dinner, which saved Hwoarang a lot of shouting.

"Hi, Jin," Xiao said, smiling. Her lower lip was swollen and a purple bruise spread across her upper arm. Sae had given everyone a special cream that healed all minor injuries in record time. Already, Xiao's bruise was turning yellow around the edges.

"Hey, Xiao." He smiled back. "What are you doing?"

"Talking," Asuka said, her gaze matching Hwoarang's stony glare. Jin wondered briefly why she was regarding him with such anger. "I thought this mansion was supposed to be fun."

"Yeah," Hwoarang said. He slumped back on the couch and put his feet on the coffee table. His right arm draped over the back of the couch, which just happened to be just behind Julia's head.

"Do you know anything fun to do?" Julia asked. She leant back and discreetly moved closer to Hwoarang. Jin sat down on the couch opposite them, right next to Xiao.

"Nope. What were you talking about?"

"Just stuff," Xiao said. She sighed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "This place is so boring! I can't wait for tomorrow. I get to fight Asuka." She smiled at the Japanese girl sitting next to her.

"You can just wait for it," Asuka said, smiling back. "I'll kick her Chinese butt from here to Brisbane."

"You can try," Xiao said, but she was laughing. Jin knew there would be no love lost between them.

"That was tough luck about yesterday, Julia," Jin said, trying to change the subject. She smiled at him, and Hwoarang scowled.

"Thanks. I knew I didn't stand a chance though, Kazuya's way too strong."

Jin nodded, but he frowned internally. Kazuya may be strong, but if Jin got the chance to fight him, then he would show Kazuya who was stronger. He swore it on his mother.

"He's also mucho creepy," Xiao said, rubbing her arms. "He gives me the shivers."

"I know," Asuka said. "He's always so silent and angry. I feel like he'd kill me as soon as look at me."

"Maybe he would," Jin said darkly. "Kazuya is a loose cannon."

"With a lit fuse," Julia added. Xiao laughed.

"That's a good one," she said.

Christie and Steve entered from the courtyard, their arms around each other's waists.

"Hey, guys," Steve said. He looked down at Christie, then back at his friends, a look of slight disbelief mixed with utter joy on his face.

"Go, Steve!" Hwoarang replied. "You finally did it, man. Congrats."

"Thanks, Hwoarang," Steve said, turning a shade of red Jin had never seen before.

"How d'ya do it?" Hwoarang asked. Suddenly it seemed as though Jin and the girls weren't there. It was just two friends discussing women.

"I thought he was flirting with Nina," Christie said.

"But I wasn't," Steve added quickly.

"Good," Asuka said good-naturedly. "Because if you were, she'd be about ready to kick your butt."

"Huh?" Steve looked very confused.

"She's right behind you," Julia said gently.

Steve turned, and there was Nina, fighting with Anna. She shot a look at him, and he waved. She waved back, then returned her attention to Anna, turning her wave into a slap. Steve winced, then turned back to the group of young adults. He and Christie sat down on the third couch.

"So you two are officially a couple, then?" Xiao asked.

"I think so," Christie said slowly. She looked at Steve. "Are we?"

"Hell yeah," he responded. The girls giggled and Hwoarang rolled his eyes. Jin stifled a laugh and stood up.

"I'm going to my room," he said, as explanation to Xiao's curious look. "I'm really tired. I'll see you at dinner."

"See you then," Julia said, ignoring Hwoarang's angry look.

"Yeah. See you, Jin," Asuka said sarcastically. Jin shot her a confused look, then waved to the others and left, walking to his room. He was, after all, very, very tired.

* * *

AN. Yeah, I am going to incorporate my other shippyness-ness pairings into this somehow. I swear, I totally will. But they're not as important as the whole Mishima/Kazama thing, so if you don't like them then just ignore them. Please review XD


	8. The Second Round

AN. Right, another chapter. There won't be many rounds, I'm sorry about that, but I'm not very good at adding up numbers and I don't really enjoy writing fight scenes (well, I didn't anyway). Hard to believe, but true. Anyway, another long one... Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Seven – Round Two**

The first two fighters were Jin and Christie, at a small park on the outskirts of the city. Sae was wearing a white blouse and a black skirt. She looked around, it was a quiet day, the weather promising to be fine and warm. Elm and oak trees were everywhere, along with simple flowerbeds and a dirt path.

Christie's black eye had faded and she looked ready to fight again. Her limp was also barely noticeable, but the cream Sae had given her couldn't heal it that quickly. She was wearing another ensemble of long pants with a bikini top. She performed what looked like a break dance, testing her sprained leg and doing a few of her moves.

Jin was definitely the stronger of the two, having received only minor injuries in the previous match. He was wearing dark-green plaid pants and a dark grey shirt. He adjusted his red glove and turned towards Christie.

"Ready?" Sae asked. They both nodded. "Begin."

Christie tried her hardest, but from the very beginning it was obvious she was at a disadvantage. Her leg wouldn't support her completely, and she winced whenever her kicks forced her to put weight on it. Jin noticed immediately that that was her weak spot, and aimed most of his kicks at the wounded leg. He managed to get one good kick directly on the weak joint, and Christie screamed in pain as she went down.

She rolled onto her stomach and pushed herself back up, her arms shaking and threatening to collapse at the elbow. Although she fought back as hard as she could, the match was over from that kick. Christie grew weaker and weaker, her leg growing steadily worse until she couldn't even get into her fighting stance comfortably. Jin saw this and circled around her when she closed her eyes. He hit her on the back of the neck and she fell silently to the ground.

Sae stepped forward and checked her pulse and pupils. She was out cold.

"Congratulations, Jin," she said, not bothering to add 'Kazama'. "You've won the second round."

He didn't walk back into the crowd, motioning to Steve instead. He came forward, and both men ducked down to check on Christie. Steve rubbed a thumb over her forehead and she smiled. He smiled too and picked her up. He and Jin walked into the crowd together, Christie supported in his arms.

Sae smiled after them before turning to the crowd. "Next we have Hwoarang and Steve at the jetty in one hour."

~*~

The sun beat down on the rough, wooden boards of the jetty. The crowd of onlookers stood in the shade of a large cruise ship which had come into port moments before. The steady stream of tanned and burnt passengers came and joined the group.

Hwoarang was wearing less formal clothes, deciding to wear a black T-shirt and dark-coloured jeans. He was wearing his motorcycle boots again, and his goggles held back his hair.

Steve was wearing a purple shirt that was buttoned up and pale jeans. He was wearing trainers, but they had light, wispy looking things at the back. His hands were wrapped in the long strips of cloth again.

They shook hands, smiling at each other.

"Ready?" Sae asked. The two stepped away from each other and nodded. "Begin."

It was obvious, right from the get-go, that these two friends wouldn't go easy on each other. Hwoarang got the first hit in, a strong kick that sent Steve skidding backwards a few paces. He responded with a punch to Hwoarang's gut. The red-head hunched forwards, his breath rushing out of him. Steve hit him in the face, a blow that glanced off Hwoarang's cheekbone and skimmed his ear.

Hwoarang grabbed Steve's arm and held him still before kicking him in the stomach. He hit Steve three times consecutively in the stomach before releasing him. Steve punched Hwoarang high in the air with his next punch, then hit as he was falling back to the ground. Hwoarang cried out, a trickle of blood trailing from his nose, his eye blackening.

Steve faltered, unsure what to do now. He saw the blood on Hwoarang's face and stopped completely, falling out of fighting stance. Hwoarang swung his legs around in a low kick that brought Steve to the ground. He then brought his fist above his head and swung it down in a wide arch that finally connected with Steve's stomach.

Steve groaned, then fell backwards, his eyes rolling up to whites.

"Congratulations, Hwoarang," Sae said. "You've won the second round."

Hwoarang bent down and checked his friend. He reached over the side of the jetty and splashed cold, salty water onto Steve's face. Christie had reached their side by this point, and stared eagerly into Steve's face. He coughed and sat up, his eyes opening blearily.

"The next match will be fought at the schoolyard in two hours between Asuka and Xiao."

~*~

Crowds of children and young adults wandered into the concrete schoolyard where the match would be fought. There were girls wearing green plaid skirts and white blouses, and boys wearing dark-green plaid trousers and dark grey shirts.

Xiao was wearing an identical costume to the girls, and Sae realised that this was Xiao's school. Jin was also wearing the school uniform, even if he wasn't a student anymore. Xiao kept waving to people and when a large panda exited the school beside a young girl with short red hair, she squealed. Sae watched with confusion as Xiao embraced first the girl, then the panda.

"I think that girl's one of Xiao's friends. And that's Panda," Julia whispered to her. "She's Xiao's bodyguard. Or at least she was."

Now, however, it seemed that Panda worked at the school.

Asuka was watching Xiao and Panda with a look of utter confusion on her face. Her traditional costume had been replaced with a mini tracksuit. It consisted of light purple short-shorts and a light purple, sleeveless shirt that was zipped from her waist to her belly button. In the open shirt there seemed to be a dark-purple boob-tube that stopped just above the zip, showing a triangle of her skin.

Xiao soon let go of the panda and, after exchanging a few words with the girl with red hair, walked back to the match.

"Ready?" Sae asked. The two teens nodded. "Begin."

Xiao started with one of her combo kicks. Asuka, being smaller than King, was more affected by this move and staggered backwards. She countered with a cartwheel-like kick, keeping her upper torso at the same level, while her lower body spun up and over, hitting Xiao repeatedly in the head and body. Sae recognised this move as well, and she felt slightly paralysed.

The fight continued like that, Xiao performing a tricky combo, and Asuka responding with a move that made Sae just a little more confused.

Eventually Asuka managed a powerful move. She spun around once and brought her leg up to shoulder height, kicking Xiao in the face. She flew backwards, landing with a small cry on the hard concrete. She tried to push herself into a sitting position, but groaned and fell back onto the ground again. Sae waited for a moment, then stepped forward.

"Congratulations, Asuka. You've won the second round."

Asuka walked back to the crowd and whispered something into Steve's ear, who rolled his eyes and whispered into Jin's. He nodded and went to the unconscious form of Xiao. She was lying still on the ground, her eyes peacefully closed. Jin carefully picked her up and walked into the crowd.

"The last match for today is between Nina and Kazuya at one of G-Corporation's labs in two and a half hours."

Sae glanced at Kazuya as she said this, and was shocked to see that he had frozen. His mouth dropped open and his face relaxed for the first time since she had seen him. She ignored this sudden lapse in his character, and instead headed for the bus that would take her to her work.

~*~

She was back in the place she lived, but she had never felt further from home. She had never felt at home here, even though Matsumi and the rest of the scientists said that she had lived here since her 20's.

Nina was wearing another skin-tight outfit, this time in gold. Her high-heels were the type with straps and a solitary buckle.

Kazuya continued with his black trend, wearing a black button-up shirt and a pair of long, dressy-style pants. He also continued to wear his dark glasses, despite the fact that the lab was dimly lit.

Nina was staring hard at Kazuya, her blue eyes icy with hate.

"I'll kill you if I can," she hissed. Kazuya nodded.

"Ready?" Sae asked. The two nodded again. "Begin."

Nina performed the first hit, punching Kazuya hard in the stomach with both her hands. He stumbled backwards, one of his hands covering the spot she had hit, and it was a short moment before he straightened up again. In that moment, Nina struck again. This time it was in the form of a double kick, one to the face and one to the stomach. This assault on Kazuya continued until he had a split lip, blood running down his chin.

Finally he managed to block one of Nina's punches, catching her wrist just before her hand connected with his face. She let out a short, surprised gasp, and then she was thrown over Kazuya's head. She landed several metres away.

Kazuya walked slowly over to her, noticing perhaps that she seemed in no hurry to get up. She sat up and looked slowly up Kazuya's tall frame. He was smirking, a disturbing expression that looked at home on his face. He carefully drew his leg back and kicked Nina hard in the face. It snapped her head back. She fell backwards, her body visibly relaxing.

Sae started to step forward, but Kazuya brought his leg back and maliciously kicked Nina in the stomach. Sae rushed forward. She put her hands on his upper arms and pushed him away from the unconscious woman. He went easily for a few steps, but then pushed back.

"What are you doing?" Sae hissed to him, putting her face very close to his.

From this angle, she could see the outline of his eyes through the dark lenses of his glasses. They widened, then narrowed.

"She'd do the same in my place," he said shortly.

Sae released him and stepped back, ready to grab him if he made to hit Nina again. He stayed where he was though, and she congratulated him sourly.

"You can all go back to the mansion," Sae said to the crowd. "I'll see you at dinner."

The crowd of onlookers dispersed, the competitors heading for the bus, the scientists returning to work. Kazuya followed the competitors after a moment, sneering down at Nina as he passed. Steve and Hwoarang both supported her back to the bus.

Sae waited behind, spotting a figure in a white coat on the sidelines. She waved at the bus to go on, knowing G-Corp could send her back at any time. She stared towards the man. His thick glasses glinted in the dim light and his brown hair was neatly combed. Sae could still see the tooth marks left by the comb.

"Sae," the figure said warmly as she approached. "How are you?"

"Fine," Sae replied, smiling at Dr Matsumi Osaka. "A bit tired though."

She saw the bus pull away and pulled off her mask. She sighed in relief and wiped sweat from her forehead.

"Yes," he said. "Those competitors seem a little odd. Especially that last one. What was his name? Kazuya? Kenawa?"

"The first one," Sae said. "Kazuya."

"Ah, yes. He's an odd one." Matsumi shook his head. "How's your memory going?"

That would have been the perfect moment to say what was happening. To tell Matsumi about the hazy fragments entering her mind, the random memories that assailed her.

"It's going terribly," Sae said, completely honestly. "Nothing's coming back. I'm beginning to wonder if it might be permanent amnesia."

"Doubtful," Matsumi said. "We know it's just temporary, Sae. We'll just have to be patient."

Sae wondered for a moment why he had said 'we', and not 'you'.

"I'd better be getting back to the mansion," she said, sliding her mask back onto her face.

"Yes, you'd better," he said, eyeing her strangely. "I'll see you later, Sae."

She waved goodbye to him and left the building, heading to where a car was already waiting for her.

* * *

AN. And there we have it, yet another chapter from Satu's vaults. I hope you enjoyed it, the next chapter will be another day-off kinda thing and then back to the fighting the chapter after. Good times had by all XD


	9. NOTE

Okay, this story will briefly be on hiatus. Maybe permanently, actually, but I'll keep you updated to that. There's a very simple reason and it is that, in all of my foolish absentmindedness, in switching computers I seem to have forgotten to copy the folder with all my Tekken fics in it. I feel like a complete idiot, but until (unless) I find them I can't update this story anymore and (quite frankly) the idea of rewriting the whole thing makes me sick to my stomach.

I apologise, but this could take awhile…


End file.
